Album review: Of Monsters and Men – My Head is an Animal

Title: My Head is an Animal
Artist: Of Monsters and Men
Label: Universal Music
Released: 3 April 2012
In one word: Believe

I’ve had a long-standing love affair with Icelandic bands and their music; The Sugarcubes in the ’80s, Bjork in the ’90s and Sigur Ros from 1999 through most of the 2000’s. I thought my streak had ended until I recently had the opportunity to listen to My Head is an Animal by you guessed it – an Icelandic band called Of Monsters and Men.

While on a 10km walk, I listened to the album as it looped through three times. This album is solid from start to finish. A rarity for most new music releases. That’s not to say that there aren’t standouts – “Little Talks”, “Dirty Paws”, “From Finner” and my favourite “Love Love Love” – but the twelve tracks together form a cohesive whole.

The six piece band includes one female member, Nanna who shares vocal duties with her male counterpart, Haggi. I am a sucker for bands that feature boy/girl duets and this band gives us plenty. What’s most exciting about the album is its sing-along-ability (is that a real word?). The easy flowing, repetitive choruses with many ‘hey hey heys’ and ‘la la las’ makes me want to join in – albeit with a pint in hand – as these songs would feel at home in a raucous pub as well as any coffee house.

It’s Spring 2012 and “though the truth may vary”, I believe I may have fallen in Love again…